Chicago Fire Soccer Team Nourishing Recipes

Sponsored by the Midwest Dairy Council

Football season has arrived and soccer is in full swing!

Feeding a winning team with diverse backgrounds can be real challenging! Therefore feeding your our future champions with different likes and dislikes can be just as challenging. Providing meals every day while trying to keep their muscles and bones strong is no easy task. Kids need important nutrients that are critical for playing strong, for optimal development and growth.

Dairy can play an important part in a winning game. The 13 essential nutrients in dairy – protein, potassium, calcium and Vitamin D no name a few are nutrients included in a serving of dairy. The Dietary Guidelines for Americans suggest we consume 2 and 3 equivalents of dairy every day. A dairy equivalent or serving = 1 cup milk, 1 cup yogurt, 1/2 cup cottage cheese or 1/2 cup shredded cheese.

Want to include more dairy in your meals? Here are some delicious and by the way good for you recipes with dairy included that can help your little champions shine in the field while helping the adults stay strong to keep up with them!

Mexican Street Corn Salad

3-1/2 cups canned corn kernels, drained or frozen corn kernels

1 tablespoon vegetable oil 

¼ cup mayonnaise

1 medium jalapeño, finely chopped

1 tablespoon lime juice

1 teaspoon Tajín Clásico seasoning

½ cup or more Cotija cheese, crumbled

¼ cup cilantro, chopped

Preparation:

1. In a flat baking sheet, spread the corn kernels with vegetable oil and roast at 400°F for 5 to 8 minutes (or longer if using frozen corn) or until lightly toasted, stirring a couple times in between. Let cool and transfer to a medium bowl.
2. Add remaining ingredients to the bowl and stir to combine. 
3. Serve with extra lime wedges and sprinkle extra Cotija cheese, Tajin Clásico Seasoning, and cilantro.

Serves: 4 – 1 cup servings

Notes: This is your basic Mexican street corn salad recipe, but you may add chopped tomatoes, chopped red onions, avocado chunks and more Cotija cheese. 

Ensalada de Nopalitos

½ teaspoon olive oil

1 cup fresh or frozen nopal cactus pads, clean and scrape the prickly spines*

2 cups queso fresco 

1 small red onion (about 1 cup), thinly sliced

3 tablespoons apple cider vinegar

¼ cup cilantro, finely chopped

½ teaspoon dried oregano 

1 teaspoon lemon pepper seasoning

½ cup Chihuahua cheese or Cheddar cheese, shredded

1 teaspoon extra virgin olive oil

4 medium tomatoes, diced

3 small radishes thinly sliced, optional

Preparation:

1. In a medium skillet, heat oil at medium heat and cook nopales for 3 to 5 minutes or until soft and tender. Or to cook them in the microwave, place them in a microwave safe dish, and cook on high for 2 to 3 minutes or until soft and tender.
2. In a large bowl, combine cooked nopales, onion, vinegar, cilantro, oregano, and lemon pepper.  Set aside to allow marinating for a few minutes.
3. Add cheese, olive oil, and tomato to the nopales mixture.
4. Serve on a medium platter and garnish with sliced radishes, if desired.

Serves: 5 (~ 1 cup) serving

Notes: A Mexican cheese that originated in the Chihuahua region of northern Mexico. Made from cow’s milk, Chihuahua Cheese provides a salty, mild, and slightly sour flavor. When aged, it becomes tangy and sharper in flavor, like a Cheddar cheese.

*How to clean the nopal cactus pads – remove spines/prickles from edge and pads with a knife, cleaned and slice.

Sweet Potato Nachos

2 medium-size sweet potatoes, unpeeled and thinly sliced

1 tablespoon olive oil

¼ teaspoon salt

¼ teaspoon ground cumin

Pico de Gallo salsa

1 cup tomatoes, diced

2 tablespoons fresh cilantro, chopped

½ cup red onion, diced

1 tablespoon jalapeño, chopped

1 teaspoon fresh lime juice

½ teaspoon salt (optional)

Toppings

½ cup Cheddar cheese, shredded

½ cup Chihuahua cheese or Monterey Jack cheese, shredded

½ cup Mexican cream or sour cream

1 ripe avocado, pitted, peeled, and diced

Preparation:

1. Pre heat oven to 400° F. Brush medium sheet pan with oil.

• Drizzle sliced sweet potatoes with the oil and sprinkle salt, toss to coat. Spread the sweet potatoes in a single layer on a sheet pan and bake until they are crisp and lightly browned on the bottom, about 25 minutes. Flip sweet potatoes and cook for another 8 to 10 minutes. 

• While sweet potatoes cook, combine salsa ingredients, and set aside.

• Top cooked sweet potatoes with cheeses and return the sheet pan to the oven, and bake until the cheese is melted, about 5 minutes.

• Transfer to a large serving platter and serve topped with the salsa, sour cream, and avocado.

Serves: 4 

 Beef & Cheese Empanadas

24 empanada disks, prepared (usually found in the freezer section)

Filling Ingredients

1 pound (16 ounces) extra lean ground beef

2 cups chopped onion (2 medium)

1 ½ cups green bell pepper, chopped

2 cloves garlic, minced

1¼ cups canned diced tomatoes; drain some of the liquid

½ teaspoon ground cumin

¼ teaspoon whole thyme

1 teaspoon salt (optional)

¼ teaspoon ground black pepper

1 teaspoon smoked paprika

8 whole green olives with pimentos, sliced

1 tablespoon raisins (optional)

2 cups cheddar cheese, shredded

Glaze Ingredients

1 large egg, lightly beaten

1 tablespoon milk

Pinch of salt

Preparation:

1. In a large skillet, heat oil at medium heat. Add ground beef, onion, pepper, garlic, tomatoes, cumin, thyme, salt, pepper, and smoked paprika. Stir occasionally and cook for 8 to 10 minutes or until juices run clear. Stir in olives and raisins; set aside.
2. To prepare empanadas, preheat oven to 400°F. Place empanada disks on lightly floured surface. 
3. Spoon about ¼ cup filling and 1 to 2 tablespoons of cheese on the middle of each empanada round and moisten edges of the rounds with water. Fold in half and press edges together with the tip of fork to completely enclose the filling. 
4. Place 2” apart on baking sheet lined with parchment. 
5. In a small bowl, mix egg, milk, and salt to make a glaze and brush over tops of empanadas. 
6. Bake for 15 to 17 minutes or until golden brown. Or you may try the Air Fry option* below. Let cool slightly on a rack and serve warm.

Serves: 24 empanadas

Notes: If you buy the dough disks frozen, make sure you allow enough time to properly thaw in the fridge or they will break trying to separate them. 

*Air Fryer Option: Place empanadas in air fryer 2” apart, add egg wash/glaze or spray with olive oil and air fry in a single layer for 8 – 10 minutes at 350°F turning halfway until golden.

Atole de Leche con Canela

4 cups milk

¼ cup piloncillo*

1 cinnamon stick

½ cup masa harina*

2 teaspoons vanilla extract

1-1/2 cups warm milk, optional for a lighter consistency 

Preparation: 

In a medium pot, heat with piloncillo, cinnamon stick, masa harina and vanilla. Cook at low-medium heat for 5 to 8 minutes or until piloncillo melts and masa harina has dissolved. Remove cinnamon stick and serve hot.

Serves: about 5 cups 

Notes:

*What is Piloncillo? 

Piloncillo is purple sugarcane, which has a deeper richer more complex flavor.

*What is masa harina?

Masa harina, a commonly used flour to make tortillas and other Mexican corn-based dishes. Masa harina translates from Spanish to dough flour. This special flour is made from dried corn, treated in a solution of lime and water, washed, and then ground to a powdered texture. 

Yogurt with fruits and nuts Bowls 

With yogurt as a base, these ideas add fruit, whole grains, nuts, and seeds, and create a colorful and delicious way to build a meal centered around yogurt. These will appeal to everyone at home. 

• PBJ bowl
  • Yogurt, Peanut butter and jelly – sprinkle chopped peanuts
• Tropical bowl
  • Yogurt, mango chunks, strawberry halves and almond slices – sprinkle toasted coconut
• Blueberry Delight 
  • Yogurt, blueberries and chopped pistachios – sprinkle lemon zest

Homemade Fruit Licuados (Smoothies)

• For me, a licuado is part of our morning tradition, it’s a way to start the day. Just blend Greek or regular yogurt, fruit, milk or juice, ice, additional protein and maybe some zest, and you have it. A delicious and nutritious meal in a glass. 
  • 1 (6 oz) container Greek or regular yogurt + 1 cup orange juice + 1 banana + 2 to 3 slices mango​
  • 1 (6 oz) container Greek or regular yogurt + 1 to 2 tablespoons peanut butter (or other nut butter) + 1 banana
  • 1 (6 oz) container Greek or regular yogurt + 1 cup strawberries + 2 teaspoons vanilla + 1 cup ice

Yogurt Bark

• I love this yogurt bark because it looks and feels like a treat, and yet, it has nearly the same potential to add other nutritious ingredients. Here is all you need: 
  • 2 (6-ounce containers) Greek or regular yogurt + 2 tablespoons maple syrup or honey and 1 teaspoon vanilla
    • Mix, spread on a lined flat baking sheet  
    • Sprinkle favorite toppings such as chopped fruit, cereal, nuts or coconut 
    • Freeze until hard or to make paletas (popsicles) mix-in your favorite topping, spoon into an ice cube tray or small 4 oz plastic cup, place a popsicle stick in the middle of each cube and freeze. 

Yogurt Dip

• Just like the other ideas, this dip is a perfect way to encourage pairing with other healthful options. I find when I set a plate like this out, the fruit (especially if we cut it) is eaten in an instant.  
  • 1 6-ounce container yogurt + 2 tablespoons honey + 2 to 3 teaspoons cocoa powder + ½ teaspoon vanilla  
    • Mix and serve with favorite fruit